Doorframe



N 1953 F. H. WALTERMAN ETAL 2,660,272

DOORFRAME 7 Filed Dec. 4, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l .j. I n

Nov. 24, 1953 H. WALTERMAN ET AL DOORFRAME 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec.4, 1951 NQN Patented Nov. 24, 1953 UNITED OFFICE DOORFRAME of- IllinoisApplication December 4, 1951, Serial No. 259,7 86

3 Claims.

Our invention relates to doorframes and more particularly to dooriramesof steel or other suitable metal.

An object of our invention is to provide a new and improved metaldoorframe which is more attractive than those now in use.

Another object of our invention is to provide a new and improved metaldoorframe which is more adaptable than those now in use.

Another object of our invention is to provide a new and improved metaldoorframe which atiords greater protection to the edge of the plaster ordry wall.

Another object of our invention is to provide a metal doorirame having anew and improved shape.

Another object of our invention is to provide a new and improved metaldoorframe which is designed for attachment directly to the rough doorbuck or studding which is standard in i1- terior wall constructions forhomes and offices.

Another object of our invention is to provide a new and improved metaldoorframe so constructed that the weight of the door is carried entirelyby the rough door buck or studding.

Another object of our invention is to provide a metal doorframe having anovel recess construction for receiving the door hinges.

Another object of our invention is to provide a new and improved metaldoorframe which will permit a door mounted on standard hinges to pivotto a position parallel to the wall in which the door opening is located.

Another object of our invention is to provide a metal dcorframe having anew and improved construction for receiving a door strike or latch.

Another object is to provide a metal doorirame having a new and improvedinterlocking connection between the several parts thereof.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a door and door opening with the frameembodying our invention mounted in the opening;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the upper end of one of the verticalside pieces of our novel frame;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of an end of a top or horizontal pieceembodying our invention;

Fig. i is a perspective view of the upper corner of the door openinghaving our novel frame mounted thereinand illustrating the manner inwhich the door is hingedly mounted;

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on theline 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the door in closedposition;

Fig. '7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 71-4 of Fig. 1,showing the parts on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 8 is a partial section taken on the line tt of Fig. 1 and showingthe strike plate and box for preventing plaster, dust, etc., from comingout of the latch opening in the metal frame;

Fig. 9 is a partial vertical section taken on the line 3-45 of Fig. 8;and

Fig. 10 is a partial sectional view taken on the plane of the lineIii-Ill of Fig. 9 but showing the door in closed position.

In Fig. 1 we have shown our novel doorframe as being comprised of threepieces consisting of vertical side pieces 2E! and 22, and a horizontaltop piece it. The lower ends of the side pieces 25 and 22 areillustrated as resting on the finished floor 255 although they can beextended below the finished floor and the finished floor fitted aroundthem if preferred. The side pieces 25% and 22 and top piece is are ofidentical cross section as will be more readily apparent from aninspection of Figs. 2, 3, 4, and Z. Each of these pieces is formed fromsheet steel or other suitable material and may be formed from relativelythin and inexpensive sheets because our novel frame does not carry an ofthe weight of the door and is so constructed that the exposed edges arereinforced.

Each piece has a longitudinal rib 28 provided with parallel sidesequidistant from the center line of the strip or piece and capable ofconstituting a door stop when the door is mounted on either side of thiscentral rib. In Fig. 7* the door is shown as mounted on the near side ofthe central rib but a feature of our novel design makes it possible tomount the door on the far side of the central rib. This could beaccomplished by interchanging side pieces 25B and 22 and this can beaccomplished without disturbing the top piece 2%. On opposite sides ofthe central rib 28 are planar panels ti? and 32 of equal width. Thewidth of each of these panels is approximately equal to the thickness ofa standard door for the interior wall of a home or oiiice building.Beyond the planar panels 3%? and 32 are inclined corner panels {i l and36 whose outwardly extending edges 38 and d6 are strengthened by bendingthe metal back upon itself. to provide a double thickness. Leg portionsor perpendicular strips .2 and 5t connect the central portions ofthecorner panels with flanges 36 and d3 which engage the sides of the 2X 41: form ing the rough door buck or studding which is a standard. partof the interior wall construction.

In Fig. 7 the right-hand rough door buck is shown as being composed oftwo 2 x 4's 5!} and 52 nailed back to back. This is the most commonconstruction, although in some instances only the 2 x 4 identified bythe reference character 58 would be used in order to reduce expense. Inthe left-hand side of Fig. '7 we have shown a different and superiorrough buck construction which is also standard practice and wherein the2 x 4.s as and 56 are arranged side by side with a spacing strip 58therebetween so that the thickness of the buck in a sidewise directionis the same as that of the buck shown in the right-hand part of Fig. '7.In all of these standard forms of rough buck construction the flanges 46and t8 engage opposite sides of the buck and are attached thereto bynails 60 or in any other suitable manner.

The door 62 may be of any standard or suitable construction and may bemounted on standard door hinges 6%. One leaf 66 of each hinge may beattached to the door by screws 58, whereas the other hinge leaf it fitsinto a recess 72 pressed in the side piece 22. The recesses '52 arepressed into the side piece 22 without interrupting the continuity ofthe metal of which the side piece is formed, the only break in the metalbeing the three small holes through which the screws it pass. It will benoted that these screws go directly into the rough buck which supportsthe entire weight of the door so that none of this weight is carried byour novel metal frame.

In Figs. 6 and '7 we have shown the door in closed position, whereas inFigs. 4 and 5 we have shown the door in fully open position. It will benoted that with a standard size of door hinge, the door may be swung toa position parallel to the wall in which the door opening is located.This is advantageous in that it permits the door to be placed in aconvenient out-of-the-way position while at the same time makingavailable the full width of the door opening for moving furniture orother articles therethrough.

The side piece 20 is similarly recessed to receive a strike plate it,best shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10. This strike plate is secured to themetal frame piece 253 by screws '55 which pass through openings at inthe frame piece 26 and into threaded bores in a reinforcing strip 82 anda metal box at. The reinforcing strip a2 is spot welded to the framepiece 29 as indicated at 85. The strike plate E6, ""Yil0 piece 21!, andreinforcing strip 82, have aligned openings 88, 90, and 92 which permitthe door latch 95 to extend through an open side of the box member at asindicated in Fig. 10. This box is formed of a strip of metal ofgenerally U-shaped cross section and having a turned down flap Qtclosing the rear of the box, the front being left open as indicated at88. This box serves the purpose of preventing pieces of plaster or othermaterial from falling down and interfering with the door latch 94 orfrom falling through the opening in the strike plate and dirtying thefloor.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3, and 4, it will be seen that we have provided anovel and effective interlocking engagement between the vertical sides20 and 22 and the horizontal or top portion 24 of the frame. As bestshown in Fig. 2, the central projecting rib 28 of each side piece ismade shorter than the rest or" the side piece, whereas the rib 28 ofeach top piece projects at each end to form an interlocking tongue. Theupper ends of the side pieces 20 and 22 and both ends of the edge panels34 and 36 of the top piece 2 terminate in miters which form the miteredjoints I00 and i512, best shown in Fig. 4. This figure also clearlyshows the manner in which the rib 28 of the top piece 2% overlies therib of the side piece 22. Because the frame pieces are symmetrical abouttheir longitudinal axes, the surfaces forming the miter joints we and382 are at the same angle with respect to the axes of the frame pieces.This facilitates assembly and increases the adaptability of our frameconstruction to various needs since either end of the top piece will fitthe top of either side piece.

In order to strengthen each end of each frame piece, a reinforcing stripltd is spot welded thereto as best shown in Fig. 3.

Our novel frame construction is equally adapter for use with either drywall construction or a plaster wall of any of the various types. In Fig.'7 we shown the wall ltzi as being of dry construction and the wall itas of plaster con struction. In each instance it will be noted that theedge of the wall adjacent the door opening is securely protected by afolded-over frame edge of double thickness and that this frame edge isfirmly supported by a leg portion 32 or at, both of which directlyengage the studding defining the door opening. This design eliminatesthe necessity of plaster holes, gives a full length plaster bond on bothsides of the wall, and eliminates plaster cracks or distortions producedby prior art frame constructions.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that we haveprovided a novelframe construction which is inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install,adaptable to a wide variety of needs, and havin an attractive appearanceand configuration more nearly resembling that of the conventionaldoorframe of wood construction. While our novel frame is primarilyintended for interior wall constructions, it can be used as an exteriorwall doorframe provided the wall construction surrounding the dooropening is made of appropriate thickness to fit between the flanges ofour doorframe or a doorframe of special size is made for exterior wallconstructions.

It is to be understood that our invention is not limited to the detailsshown and described but includes all modifications, variations, andequivalents coming within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A substantially symmetrical, metal doorframe piece adapted to beapplied as a moulding to a wooden doorframe which includes a rectangularbuck having a width of approximately four inches formed from a singlesheet of metal and having a substantially centrally located doorstop ribbent forwardly'from the main body of the piece, said main body includinglateral webs extending at right angles to the rib on both sides thereofand providing duplicate door-receiving surfaces which, with the centralrib, are at least equal in extent to said width of the buck, the remotemargin of each such web then being bent rearwardly at an oblique angleto provide a bevel facing, then forwardly against said facing, and thenconnecting with a flange that extends rearwardly at right angles to saiddoor receiving surfaces for attachment to said wooden doorframe, saidflange being substantially in alignment with the juncture of said weband said bevel cent face of the buck over which the doorframe piece isto be mounted.

2. A symmetrical doorfra-me piece as set forth in claim 1 in which doorhinge receiving recesses are embossed in one of said door receivingsurfaces, and in which screw holes are provided whereby screws used forfastening hinge leaves in place within said hinge recesses will directlyengage the buck for supporting the door directly from said buck.

3. A symmetrical metal doorframe piece as set forth in claim 2 in whicha door latch opening is provided in one of the door receiving surfaces,and a latching box rigidly fixed to the inner face of said doorreceiving surface in alignment with said door latch opening.

FREDRICK H. WALTERMAN. JOHN P. MALMROSE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number5 1,323,755 1,606,780 1,610,369 1,731,459 1,826,516 10 2,043,1742,454,523 2,538,925 2,562,105 2,574,350

Name Date Gogay Dec. 2, 1919 Zahner et a1. Nov. 16, 1926 Goddard Dec.14, 1926 Gross Oct. 15, 1929 McHugh et al. Oct. 6, 1931 Jacobson June 2,1936 Philip Nov. 23, 1948 Steffan Jan. 23, 1951 Lang July 24, 1951 PeeleNov. 6, 1951 Raskin Mar. 18, 1952

